Braveheart Murray earns new admirers in defeat

Rain refused to leave SW19 alone for the final, hitting the All England club first thing in the morning, then returning in the third set, forcing a delay while the Centre Court roof was closed.

But fans refused to be deterred, coming from far and wide to watch their star try to take the title.

By late morning, Murray Mount was a sea of coloured umbrellas – some fans even bringing small tents to protect them from the conditions as they watched the Scot take on Roger Federer.

Scots travelled to SW19, easily spotted in kilts and tartan, with the Saltire daubed on their faces.

And the Union flag was a common sight, for yesterday Murray was not only Scottish – but a British hope.

Murray took to the court to deafening applause and, at times, bright sunshine.

The atmosphere was electric, fans poised on the edge of their seats, “Oo-ing” and “aah-ing” at every point.

Even Murray’s hitting partner Dani Vallverdu – sitting with Team Murray in the players’ box – leapt to his feet at one point.

Prime Minister David Cameron was spotted with his hand to his mouth in awe, occasionally exchanging jokes with London Mayor Boris Johnson and Deputy PM Nick Clegg.

Footballer David Beckham leant forward intently on his seat throughout the match, although his wife Victoria seemed, as ever, unmoved, sometimes spotted on her phone.

Keen tennis fan the Duchess of Cambridge chatted excitedly at times with her sister Pippa Middleton, and at others gazed intently, her mouth making the obvious “oohs and aahs”, echoing the reactions of thousands of other fans on the court.

The rain delay and the closure of the roof served only to heighten the atmosphere with the shouts and cheers of the crowd echoing around the court.

And excitement turned to emotion as Murray lost his chance, falling to Federer.

The Scot himself showed a rarely-seen emotional side, choking on tears as he thanked his family, and also the crowd.

His rare show of feelings prompted a wave of emotion among those watching him, including mother Judy Murray and girlfriend Kim Sears, as well as some fans on Centre Court, who were also reduced to tears.

Murray may not have equalled Fred Perry’s achievement but it is clear that Wimbledon 2012 will go down in history as one of the most emotional, electric finals that Britain has seen for years.

Further north, tennis fans in Dunblane heaped praise on Murray after their local hero lost out in his bid to win Wimbledon.

Supporters in his home town cheered on the tennis star and even though he lost out to Federer in the four-set final, residents in the Scottish town were full of confidence that the 25-year-old will one day lift the trophy.

Steven Balmer, 28, was watching the match with his family in the Dunblane Youth and Sports Centre, which was packed with supporters.

He said: “It was a terrific performance, I thought Andy was unlucky that Roger Federer was just superb. There’s not much he could of done, I don’t think.

“He’s a hero to everyone here whether he wins or loses. There were so many people getting behind him in Dunblane and across the country and there are so many messages of support everywhere you look.

“He seems to be getting closer with every final he plays. It really is just a matter of time, Federer and Nadal can’t keep going forever so he is bound to get one sooner rather than later.”

Pubs in Dunblane got into the Wimbledon spirit by serving strawberries and cream to customers, and the local butcher shop also had a tennis theme by selling “Wimbledon sausages” which had chillies and strawberries as special ingredients.

Brea Steele travelled from nearby Stirling to watch the match on the big screen in the Dunblane Centre and said she will be back next year to see him lift the trophy. “Andy played his heart out and it was just a sin that Federer played his very best,” she said.

“He had us excited after winning the first set and it was just a shame that he couldn’t keep it up.”

Mrs Steele said Murray is a “fantastic ambassador” for the area. She added: “Everybody was rooting for him, he was emotional at the end and clearly wanted to win it for everyone who’s been supporting him.

“The family are really active in the community so everyone in the town genuinely gets behind him in every match.”